


home is wherever I’m with you

by brilliantbanshee



Series: Season 2 Codas [2]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Minor Spoilers for Season 2, Post-Episode: s02e01 Back in the Saddle, relationship milestones, the boys are being soft again, tk has a problem and carlos offers a solution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:29:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28863330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantbanshee/pseuds/brilliantbanshee
Summary: In light of his parents trying again, Carlos offers an alternative and TK makes a decision.----A conversation that may have come after the end of the episode
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: Season 2 Codas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169987
Comments: 11
Kudos: 210
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand, 9-1-1 Tales





	home is wherever I’m with you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [terramous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/terramous/gifts).



> After watching the new season last night this came to mind in light of Owen and Gwen deciding to try again, and in light of how stressed being around the two of them together with their bickering had TK at the beginning. Here's hoping that maybe the actual writers agree.

“So, your Mom is staying?” 

TK nodded from the doorway, “Seems to be the case. My dad laid some line on her about giving the ‘best relationship of their lives’ a second chance.”

“And that worked? No offense to your dad, but your mom does not strike me as the type to fall for cliches.” 

TK chuckled as entered the room, crossing to the opposite side of the bed, “Hey, give the Strand charm some credit.” 

“Strand charm, is that a thing? Can’t say I’ve ever noticed.” 

TK, who was in the process of pulling back the covers, paused to grab one of the pillows and lob it at his grinning boyfriend who put up an arm to deflect it. Carlos grinned cheekily back at him before sobering, expression turning more serious as he handed the pillow back to TK, “Are you okay with that?” 

“Yeah, I love my mom and it’ll be nice to have her around more. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“I know you love both of them, but having them both under the same roof this long has made you a little tense, maybe.” 

TK climbed into bed and sighed, rolling over onto his side to face Carlos, “is it that obvious?” 

“Babe, I love you, but you’ve been like a walking tension headache more often than not when you come from home.” 

TK hummed in agreement, “I want this for them because I think it will make them happy. But I don’t know if I can stand to be in the room while it happens, so to speak.” He cringed and continued almost as an afterthought, “for so many reasons.” 

“Thin walls?” 

“To say the least.” 

Carlos smiled at him, reaching over to run a hand down his arm. TK shivered at the contact, shifting closer. They lay in silence for a few more moments before Carlos spoke again,  “If it’s that bad you could always just, stay here.”

“Carlos…” 

But Carlos rushed on, not giving TK a chance to finish, “I know we’ve talked about it and you said you weren’t ready yet, that you wanted to stay close to your dad while he was doing chemo and I totally get that. And you don’t have to, I’m happy to have you here as often or a little as you want to be here. But your dad’s in remission now, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t want you here a little more. I mean I don’t want to pressure you—”

“Carlos!” 

Carlos stopped, locking eyes with TK who was watching him with wide eyes, “Breathe Carlos,” he told him, reaching out to put a hand on his cheek, “it’s okay.” 

Once Carlos had taken a breath TK continued, letting his hand slide from Carlos’s cheek to his chest as he spoke, “I do want this,” he admitted quietly, “I do want to take this next step with you, don’t think for a second that I don’t. I just don’t want it to be a decision we made out of convenience. I want to do it because it’s right for us; because it’s what’s next.” 

“And you think that if we make this decision now, it will change that?” 

The question was asked plainly; there was no judgment in the words or the tone, but TK still bit his lip and looked downward, away from Carlos, “Maybe? I don’t really know, Carlos. I just...I don’t want to screw this up.”

“Do you think moving in will screw it up? You already spend more time here than at home anyway.” 

“No? I don’t know.” 

Carlos studied him for several moments and TK could feel the warmth of this gaze roving his skin. Finally, he spoke, “Just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean it’s the wrong choice,” he reminded him softly, “The fact that it serves another purpose beyond just us taking the next step doesn’t lessen that step. Maybe, if anything, it’s a sign.” 

“I thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?” 

Carlos shrugged, stretching his arm across the void between them to take TK’s hand resting on the pillow and intertwine it with his own, “I don’t look for it, but sometimes you can’t deny it. Either way, the decision is up to you. I’ll be okay with whatever you decide.” 

There was quiet again as Carlos waited for TK’s verdict, their clasped hands resting in the space between them. When TK finally spoke, his voice was carefully teasing but Carlos knew him well enough to hear the emotion behind it, “I guess I could get used to waking up next to you every day.” 

“Is that a fact?” 

“Yeah,” TK said, tone sincere now, “it is. I’m ready to try this, if you are.” 

“I think a part of me has been ready since the night we met,” Carlos admitted, “but all of me is ready now.” 

They smiled at each other for half a second before TK rolled closer, pulling Carlos into a deep and passionate kiss. Carlos countered the weight so they rolled, leaving him on top of TK. He pulled away just enough to see his face, to look in his eyes as he rested on his elbows above him, “I love you, you know.” 

TK brought his arms up and placed his hands on either side of Carlos’s head, pulling him back down and back into a kiss. 

“That’s good,” he noted when they came apart for air, “because I just happen to love you too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://marjansmarwani.tumblr.com/)


End file.
